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I'm on my 3rd archwire on top, 2nd on bottom. And I'm wondering how many archwires there are.
My top started with a 14, now 18, which I think is .18 gauge??
My bottom (archwire, that is ) started with a 14, now 16.
He moves the wire from the top and puts it on the bottom, putting a heavier wire on top.
I've heard some talk about rectangular wires--what gauge are they?
Does everyone end up at the same gauge wire?
Upper ceramics on 6/21/05 (on, off, on)
Lower metals on 7/23/05
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Suzy
3 teenagers, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 goats, 3 chickens, 1 guinea, and 3 guinea pigs...
what more could a girl want???
I think 18 is about the highest that most people get. I have a 20 right now, but that is a surgical weight wire. Once I'm a bit more healed from surgery, and am not banded so heavily from surgery, I will probably go back to a slightly lighter wire.
I also think (but I'm no expert!) that if you need elastics, you will probably get a heavier weight wire, so the elastics pulling on your brackets don't pull the wire out of shape.
As for rectangular wires, I think they also come in different guages like regular wires do.
I could be wrong, but that's how I understand things.
peanut
Braced: September 23, 2004
Surgery: September 13, 2005
Hi,
I currently have my finishing wires on. They are 16x22 multibrade (sp?) stainless steel wire this is a down grade from the last wire I had. If you want to know more about my braces story just look at My Story, I have the details of what wires I got there.
I have Gac In-ovation brackets (self-ligating). I got my braces Dec 29 2003. My estimated treatment time is 27 months. I got my braces off Dec 5 2005 after 23 months and 1 week.
currently I have a size 18 on top and an edgewise on the bottom, which is gigantic, I'm not sure what size but that thing is massive. I go in for an appt next Wednesday and I get an edgewise on top as well...
Braced September 9, 2002
Debanding: JULY 5!!!!!!!!
Hi I currently have 18x22 edgewise wires on both my top and bottom. I've had the top for about 2 1/2 months and the bottom for about 3 weeks, they are really big wires and take some getting used to but Im told these will be my last wires, who knows
Leah
lower wisdom teeth cut out 1/27/05 (ouch)
braced 3/8/05.
24-30 month Est.
going full metal 8/22/05
Naked as of August 28, 2006
Hmm...I had to sneak a peek at my chart last time, but I think I have a 22 on the bottom and a braided wire (about the same strength as my first really skinny archwire).
ive just had an adjustment today.ortho didnt do anything just a glance around that was it.
she did mention to me though that on my next appoiment i will move up to a 20x20 wire all this talk of size of wires is over my head so whats a 20x20 wire when its at home?
I have an 18 in right now and the assistant said I have one more bigger wire to graduate to. Mine is rectangular. Pretty much felt like they ran out and snipped a section of barbed wire off a fence and jammed it in there. It's huge. Can't wait for the next one.
Full upper and lower metal braces put on May 12, 2005.
Braces free as of April 18, 2006!
Temporarily rebraced Nov. 21, 2006. ( I think I've moved past temporary. )
Not that my ortho tells me any of these details - I instead pick them up when he is barking out orders to his assistants. I believe I have a 12 on the bottom and a 14 on the top
Am I the only one whose ortho never tells them anything about the size wire they're putting on or anything?
Spacers: 1/26/05; 2/6/06; 3/15/06; 4/24/06
4 First Bicuspids removed: 2/2005
Metal Braces, top and bottom: 3/1/05; Debanded 7/26/07
Hawley retainers top and bottom
You can measure your wire yourself if you do not know or were not told. You need a set of machinest calipers. Just measure the wire diameter between two teeth if it is round. If it is square you have to measure two sides. The 12/14/18/20 refers to the size in thousandts of an inch. a 12 is .012". I have 12 on top and 14 on bottom. So my top measures .012" and the bottom measures .014". There are different wire materials also. Steel, heat treated steel, NiTi titianum nickel and spring steel. A smaller spring steel may be stronger or do different things than a larger steel. Some also last longer than others.
Braces July 26 2005
Treatment time 24 months
Damon 3's top Damon 2's bottom
I have a 24 on the top and a 20 on the bottom. The top is a square finishing wire and it was tight before the ligs were put on. I am not looking forward to the wire on the bottom as my bottom teeth are more sensitive.
Oh sure, I see Bart gets to have a gun. - Homer Simpson.
) started with a 14, now 16.
